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Labour has accused the Tories of creating unnecessary uncertainty by raising the prospect of a referendum in two years' time.

Privately some Labour figures think it is the party's only policy which has the backing of business leaders.

However, 29 per cent of people say they most trust the Conservatves to handle the UK's relationship with the rest of the EU, compared to 23 per cent said they most trust Labour. Just 13 per cent said the same of Ukip.

Vidar Helgesen, Norway's minister for Europe, has warned of the downside of not being part of the rule-setting process in Brussels. David Cameron has promised that if he remains Prime Minister after May's general election he would renegotiate Britain's membership of the EU before staging an in-out referendum by the end of 2017

Some Conservatives have argued Britain could leave the EU and have a similar relationship to Norway, which has access to the single market as part of the European Economic Area.

However, Vidar Helgesen, Norway's minister for Europe, has warned of the downside of not being part of the rule-setting process in Brussels.

He told the Observer: 'We [Norway] are fully integrated into the EU single market as members of the EEA, but what we don't have is the right to vote on those regulations that are incorporated into our law when they are made by the council of ministers.'

'You would not have all those Brits staffing the commission where the decisions are made.

'Britain being on the outside would obviously not have that amount of people on the inside. You would find it more difficult, as a result, to affect the regulations.'

Peter Wilding, director of pro-EU group British Influence, said: 'Eurosceptics who peddle the myth that Norway is the best [model] for a non-EU Britain are deceiving the public. They say leaving leads to more democracy and security. This is nonsense.

'We now have the Norwegian Europe minister telling us to get a grip, get real and get involved in shaping Europe. Little England cannot be an option.'